Krause standaard (BU-AG)

To facilitate communication between sellers and buyers, it is essential that grading terms and their meanings be as standardized and as widely used as possible. One difficulty with grading is that even the actual grades themselves are not used everywhere by everyone. For example, for paper money, in Europe the term "About Uncirculated" (AU) is not in general use, yet in North America it's widespread. Therefore we added a table called STANDARD INTERNATIONAL GRADING TERMINOLOGY AND ABBREVATIONS were you can find the terms for grades in various countries.

The grades and definitions cannot reconcile all the various systems and grading terminology variants. Rather, the attempt is made to try and diminish the controversy with some common-sense grades and definitions that aim to give more precise meaning to the grading language of paper money, coins and bonds & shares.

At Collectweb and Corné Akkermans Auctions grading is done with the utmost care and slightly conservative. The age, rarity or type of an item is not a consideration in grading. We grade each item by the weaker of the two sides. Additional to the grade of an item we will always mention the extra defects like "strong or weak strikes", "partially weak strikes", "damage", "corrosion", "attractive or unattractive toning" and "dipping or cleaning".

There are two standards for coin grading nowadays. Grading according to Krause catalogue standards and grading according to the Sheldon grading scale. The difference between these two standards is that the Sheldon grading scale is used by special "grading companies" who encapsulate coins in a special plastic holder. Krause catalogue standards are used to grade coins that are not encapsulated.

KRAUSE GRADING STANDARD

For BU (Brilliant Uncirculated) grades there will be no visible signs of wear or handling, even under a 30-power microscope. Full mint luster will be present. Ideally no bags marks will be evident.

For UNC (Uncirculated) grades there will be no visible signs of wear or handling, even under a 30-power microscope. Bags marks may be present.

For aUNC - AU (Almost Uncirculated), all detail will be visible. There will be wear only on the highest point of the coin. There will often be half or more of the original mint luster present.

On the EF - XF (Extremely Fine) coin, there will be about 95% of the original detail visible. Or, on a coin with design with no inner detail to wear down, there will be a light wear over nearly all the coin. If a small design is used as the grading area , about 90% of the original detail will be visible. This latter rule stems from the logic that a smaller amount of detail needs to be present because a small area is being used to grade the whole coin.

The VF (Very Fine) coin will have about 75% of the original detail visible. Or, on a coin with no inner detail, there will be moderate wear over the entire coin. Corners of letters and numbers may be weak. A small grading area will have about 66% of the original detail.

For F (Fine), there will be about 50% of the original detail visible. Or, on a coin with no inner detail, there will be fairly heavy wear over all of the coin. Sides of the letters will be weak. A typically uncleaned coin will often appear as dirty or dull. A small grading area will have just under 50% of the original detail.

On the VG (Very Good) coin, there will be about 25% of the original detail visible. There will be heavy wear on all of the coin.

The G (Good) coin's design will be clearly outlined but with substantial wear. Some of the larger detail may be visible. The rim may have a few weak spots of wear.

On the AG (About Good) coin, there will typically be only a silhouette of a large design. The rim will be worn down into the letters if any.

Strong or weak strikes, partially weak strikes, damage, corrosion, attractive or unattractive toning, dipping or cleaning should be described along with the above grades. These factors affect the quality of the coin just as do wear and loss of detail, but are easier to describe.

In the case of countermarked/counter stamped coins, the condition of the host coin will have a bearing on the end valuation. The important factor in determining the grade is the condition, clarity and completeness of the countermark itself. This is in reference to countermarks/counter stamps having raised design while being struck in a depression.

Incuse countermarks cannot be graded for wear. They are graded by the clarity and completeness including the condition of the host coin which will also have more bearing on the final grade/valuation determined.

SHELDON GRADING SCALE

70 (MS/PF) - A coin with no post-production imperfections at 5x magnification.

69 (MS/PF) - A fully struck coin with nearly imperceptible imperfections.

68 (MS/PF) - Very sharply struck with only miniscule imperfections.

67 (MS/PF) - Sharply struck with only a few imperfections.

66 (MS/PF) - Very well struck with minimal marks and hairlines.

65 (MS/PF) - Well struck with moderate marks or hairlines.

64 (MS/PF) - Average or better strike with several obvious marks or hairlines and other miniscule imperfections.

63 (MS/PF) - Slightly weak or average strike with moderate abrasions and hairlines of varying sizes.

62 (MS/PF) - Slightly weak or average strike with no trace of wear. More or larger abrasions than an MS/PF 63.

61 (MS/PF) - Weak or average strike with no trace of wear. More marks and/or multiple large abrasions.

60 (MS/PF) - Weak or average strike with no trace of wear. Numerous abrasions, hairlines and/or large marks.

58 (AU) - Slight wear on the highest points of the design. Full details.

55 (AU) - Slight wear on less than 50% of the design. Full details.

53 (About Unc) - Slight wear on more than 50% of the design. Full details except for very minor softness on the high points.

50 (AU) - Slight wear on more than 50% of the design. Full details except for minor softness on the high points.

45 (XF) - Complete details with minor wear on some of the high points.

40 (XF) - Complete details with minor wear on most of the high points.

35 (VF) - Complete details with wear on all of the high points.

30 (VF) - Nearly complete details with moderate softness on the design areas.

25 (Very Fine)   A note that shows modest evidence of circulation as well as more folds and/or soiling than a note graded 30.

20 (VF) - Nearly complete details with more softness on the design areas.

15 (F) - Recessed areas show slight softness. Letters and digits are sharp.

12 (F) - Recessed areas show more softness. Letters and digits are sharp.

10 (VG) - Wear throughout the design. Letters and digits show softness.

8 (VG) - Wear throughout the design. Letters and digits show more softness.

6 (G) - Peripheral letters and digits are full. Rims are sharp.

4 (G) - Peripheral letters and digits are nearly full. Rims exhibit wear.

3 (AG) - Most letters and digits are readable. Rims are worn into the fields.

2 (FR) - Some details are visible. Rims are barely visible.

1 (PO) - Enough detail to identify the coin's date and type. Rims are flat or nearly flat.

STANDARD INTERNATIONAL GRADING TERMINOLOGY AND ABBREVATIONS